Bracket attachment for dental chairs



Patented Nov. 8, I898. J. A. W. LUNDBURG. I BRACKET ATTACHMENT FOR DENTAL CHAIRS.

[Application filed Nov. 26, 1897.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. V. LUNDBORG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BRACKET ATTACHMENT FOR DENTAL CHAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,842, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed November 26, 1897. Serial No. 669,909. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. W. LUNDBORG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Bracket Attachments for Dental Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of an adjustable attachment for dental chairs as a convenient holder for the tools and appliances used in the operations of filling cavities, and the same comprises a clamp of novel construction adapted to fit the cushioned head-rest of most of the styles of dental chairs now.,in the market and a bracket-arm in combination therewith having a universal adjustment and provided with a tool-holding clamp on the end, the whole forming a convenient and very complete attachment that is designed to dispense with the services of an assistant operator at the chair and to facilitate the work of the dentist.

The following description explains the nature of my said improvements and the manner in which I construct and combine the same in the production of an improved attachment for dental chairs, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, that form part of this specification.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the attachment on the head-rest of a dental chair and operating as a dental mirror-holder. Fig. 2 is a front view of the clamp removed from the chair; Fig. 3, a side view of the clamp, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of the same part. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of two joints or sections of the bracket-arm. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the tool-holding clamp 011 the end of the outermost section of the bracket-arm. Fig. 7 is a view of the clamp taken from the right-hand side of Fig. 6. I

The parts of this'device consist of the springclamp A, the adjustable bracket formed of several jointed sections B 13 E and the toolholder D.

The clamp A is specially designed and constructed to fit the side pieces of most of the cushioned head-rests now in use and to hold the bracket in whatever position it is placed without coming in contact with the face of the patient or being in the way of the operator. The construction of this piece will be understood from Figs. 2, 3, and 4.. Its position when in use is illustrated in Fig. 1.

The block A is formed with a broad and slightly-convex top face to fit against the back plate of the head-rest, and below or beneath this face a hole or socket a is provided for the rod or first member of the bracket. A thumb-screw A working through a threaded hole from the back of the block, forms the means of securing the rod in the socket. To the side of the block A a curved spring a is fastened by bending it at right angles along the bottom edge and secured by the screws against the back of the block. The spring is broadest at the base where it is united to the block, and from that part it is reduced in width so as to form a narrow tongue a which is bent over upon itself in a short but rounded curve, so that the end of the tongue is brought close to the top face of theblock A. Instead of lying directly in line with the broad body portion of the spring, however, this tongue or narrow portion a is given a slight twist to one side of the center, as shown in Fig. 2, while the whole spring has a slight backward inclination with respect to the block A. The object of giving the spring this peculiar shape is to enable it to be placed over the cushioned side piece of the head-rest without distending or opening the spring-tongue from the broad body portion to an excessive degree. As thus constructed the spring can be placed over the edge of the cushioned side and pressed down into position and the block A sprung into place under the back plate of the head-rest with a comparatively small exertion of force, although the spring has a considerable degree of stiffness. The clamp is readily fixed in place by placing the spring sidewise over the edge of the cushioned side, with the tongue turned to the inside of the head-rest, and then bringing the block A into position under the back plate. When properly adjusted in this position, the spring-tongue a sinks into the cushion side and not only holds the block A firmly in place, but is itself kept out of contact with the face or head of the patient by being pressed into the soft cushioned surface. This clamp has such universality of adjustment that it will fit almost any of the cushioned head-rests now in use, and it holds firmly in place without marring the head-rest and Without requiring special fastenings, such as screws or pins. It is adapted to fit either side of the head-rest, so that it can be shifted withoutloss of time from one side to the other.

The bracket B is composed of several sections united by ball-and-socket joints 5 that afford universal adjustment to a degree sufficient to enable the clamp or holderD on the end to be placed and held stiiily in any required position. The joints are of the wellknown ball-and-socket construction, the split socket I) being fixed on the end of one rod and the ball secured on the end of the adjacent section. The amount of friction necessary to obtain a rigid joint at any angle is produced by a screw b with a butterfly-head in the socket.

The clamp or tool-holder D on the end of the first or outermost section of the bracket is constructed, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, of two spring-jaws cl (Z, secured to the rod B the end of the rod being flattened, as shown, for that purpose. The jaws are properly curved and set toward each other to grip the shank of a tool.

As thus constructed and arranged this at tachment forms a convenient and desirable appliance that by its construction. is rendered readily applicable to most of the head-rests now in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a bracket attachment for dental chairs, the combination, with the bracket-arm composed of jointed sections united by ball-andsocket joints for universal adjustment, a binding-screw at each joint and a tool-holder on the end of the outermost section formed of spring-jaws; of the head-rest clamp consisting of the rigid block adapted to fit against the back plate of the head-rest and having a socket for the end section of the bracket-arm provided with aclamp-screw, and a clampingspring adapted to fit and grasp the cushioned side of the head-rest from the front, havinga broad body portion secured to the block, and a narrow tongue which is bent over in a short curve toward the block, the said tongue being set to one side of the center of the body of the spring, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN A. V. LUNDBORG. [L

Witnesses:

O. XV. M. SMITH, M. REGNER. 

